Hunt Little Wolf: The Aurora Marelup Series

by Serenity Rayne

  “I’m sorry, my dear! I never thought my boy would find a mate. When he said it was you, I just couldn't contain myself! Oh, where are my manners? My name is Katherine. I guess you can say I’m Queen of the Ice Dragon Court.” She smiles while looking at me and slightly bows her head. Two men come forth, one with clothing and the other with a dressing blind. The men start to herd Alaric’s dragon to an alcove close by. I watch the men for a moment, then turn my attention back to Katherine. I move the ripped sleeve of my coat and show her the royal mark on my forearm.

  “I’m Princess Aurora Marelup; last of my name, first of my kind—future queen of the lycan packs.” I curtsey to the queen and she returns the gesture. Her hand gently comes out to touch my hand.

  “I knew your mother. She was such a kind and caring soul. But Gods help you, if you crossed her she was down right ruthless.” Katherine smiles as she speaks about my mother. It warms my heart to know someone besides my father and Dimitri is left alive that knew my mother. I smile and laugh a bit.

  “I have a lot of my mother's tendencies and my father's black or white view of the world. Though, thankfully, I have a much better grasp of technology than he does.” I watch his mother’s visage pale considerably when I mention my father in the present tense. I straighten up my stance a bit more, my resolve as hard as steel. “I rescued my father from the dire wolf camp in the Nankoweap Ruins. Apparently, their alpha—who was the beta in my mother's time—chopped off his left arm and took him hostage.” I tilt my head left then right, assessing her reaction. Before I could speak again, Alaric wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my cheek. “My father should be here tomorrow with the rest of my troops. That's not going to be a problem, is it?” I watch my scales ripple across my hands then recede just as fast. My eyes lock on Alaric's mother’s eyes; there’s a definite fear there. Katherine begins to pace in front of us before she turns and looks at her son.

  “Alaric, you know what this means for all of us?” Tears are threatening to break free from her eyes. Katherine’s flesh flushes from the effort of trying not to cry. Alaric kisses my cheek then locks eyes with his mother.

  “I do. It means dad isn’t the rightful king and we no longer hold any title. Nicodeamus was next in line for the throne, but with him not wed to another dragon or dragon kind, he cannot sit upon the throne in the capital. Aurora, however, can and will sit upon the throne—she is dragon kind and my mate. If Aurora allows it, I wish to wed her before we dethrone father.” I watch Alaric talk to his mother. It feels very surreal, like I’m watching some reality TV show. I have a prince, who’s really not a prince, who wishes to be my husband and mate. I turn in Alaric’s arms and look up into his hazel gold eyes.

  “Make the preparations. As far as my father is concerned, he will see the value of having not only our mating, but our marriage to solidify the alliance between the lycans and dragon houses.” I stand on my tippy toes and kiss his lips. “Besides, I think you’ll look pretty damn fine in dress clothes.” I feel my father reach out to me mentally, and I bring him up to speed. Alaric’s grip on me tightens as I widen the connection, allowing both of them in on the conversation. I personally suspect anyone who gained power after my mother's house fell. Both my father and Alaric agree. I look at Alaric’s mother over my shoulder, and my dragon-slitted mercury orbs frighten her some.

  “Father says hi, and the wedding will happen tomorrow at dusk. The Dragon Star is at its apex tomorrow, and he wants it to bless our union. Plus, it’s my birthday.” His mother's fear is clearly visible. She’s shaking, which proves to me that she knows something about the attack. “Alaric, love, please show me to our chambers. I wish to freshen up.” Alaric studies his mother's reaction to what I said before he leads me off.

  Today has to be the absolute best day of my life! My mate flew with me, and she tended to the scales my dragon can't reach. Aurora even sought shelter under my wing when my mother approached. I feel like I’m king of the world right now.

  Now, I’m only concerned about the reaction my mother had when Aurora said her father is still living. She seemed to get very nervous after that. Maybe there was betrayal on my father's side? I’ll ponder this later, but for now I’m supervising the construction of my bride’s wedding dress. Nothing but the best for Aurora. I don't care if I don't have a title. I don't care if we have to walk through the fires of Hell to secure her birthright to her mother’s throne.

  I stand back and watch the seamstress work on Aurora’s dress. Honestly, I don't think any fabric will ever be good enough for her. It's my own opinion, not how she feels. She doesn't care about finery or any of the normal court bullshit.

  I receive news that Nicodeamus was spotted on the horizon with the rest of the packs. He’s way ahead of schedule. Good, it gives me time to get them all settled, bathed, and fed before tomorrow. I tell the one manservant to prepare enough robes for their arrival. He bows and leaves to complete his task.

  The second seamstress shows me the suit she’s preparing for me. It's a beautiful compliment to the dress I commissioned for Aurora. I can’t believe she agreed to marry me on such short notice. Our bond is different than that of her wolf mates. Our bond is bone deep; no bite required or even a mating. We were matched on the most primal and genetic level. If we were not a match, our scales would have died the moment they were implanted. I gently rub Aurora’s scale on my chest and I can instantly feel her joy. I wonder why my parents never swapped scales. Perhaps I’ll ask my mother later.

  “Alaric?” Speaking of the devil, here's my mother now.

  “Hard at work I see,” Katherine says in a bored tone as she looks over the suit. She plays with the lapel, examining the stitch work closely.

  “What do you need, mother?” I tilt my head to the side and examine her body language, looking for a clue as to what her motivation is.

  “I don’t need anything? Why would I need anything? I’m the queen after all.” She looks at me and tries to hold my gaze. She couldn't do it for long. My mother starts fiddling with the hem of her sleeves instead of looking at me. I slowly cross my arms over my chest and lean against the wall, watching her.

  “Let me guess, either you’re bothered by the fact that Nicodeamus is still alive or the fact that his daughter is my mate.” I smirk as I watch her eyebrow twitch, a dead giveaway that I hit the nail on the head. My mother bites her bottom lip and continues to stare at the hem of her sleeve. Katherine begins to walk around the room until she reaches the window.

  “Your father knew about the attack before it came. That’s why we didn’t attend that night. He admitted to the knowledge a few months ago. He said those horrible strigoi were sent in search of the last true heir. There’s a puppet master pulling their strings. Tomas is not the true leader, someone else is giving the orders.” My mother looks frightened. I slowly move to embrace her.

  “Mother, we will protect you. Aurora is quite strong; she took down Nexus all by herself.” I smile broadly after seeing my mother's shock at the news. “Besides, I believe we can take back the throne, usurp my father, and assemble the nest to take back the main castle. Aurora is alpha enough to force every wolven creature to shift. I’ve seen the video that proves her power. Hell, I’ve felt her power for myself.” I release my mother and she breaks away to spin around and face me.

  “Are you absolutely sure, Alaric? You know your father is a powerful male. I don't want to see my only son die.” Katherine is practically in tears as she thinks about the possibility of me dying. A knock at the door makes both of us look at the sliding bolt lock. A single long, hooked, black talon makes its way between the doors then slices down, cutting the beam in half. A thud is heard as the door flies open. Aurora stands on the other side, partially shifted. She must have sensed my inner turmoil. Her eyes are fathomless orbs, the churning mercury not giving away where she’s looking.

  “My love, I know the mid shift is exhausting. Why don't you take your full form?” I smile, looking at Aurora as she smirks then fully
shifts. Her great, white hybrid beast looks down at us. I can feel my mother's body trembling beside me. “Mother, I told you she can defend herself.” I smile as I look at Aurora’s hybrid up close for the first time.

  I slowly approach her and caress the heavy scale-like armor on her forearms. I raise her arm to look at how her scales form into gauntlets to protect her. Where the wolven claws should be, long, black, curved dragon talons exist. Aurora remains still as I touch her beast’s form. I guess it's only fair; she did examine my dragon closely before. My mother's eyes widen as she watches me manipulate Aurora’s talons. My eyes move to Aurora’s head; it’s a unique mix of lycan and dragon features. Her muzzle is wider with a ridge up the nose plate like a dragon. Tiny scales adorne her eyelids, almost like eyeliner. For a moment, as I stare at her mercury orbs, I can see a slightly darker shade of grey in the center of her eyes—the darker area in the shape of a dragon’s slit. I simply smile at her and stroke her muzzle.

  “I can see your eye slits,” I say in a teasing tone as I look up at her. Aurora’s ears flicker before she tilts her head to look at me then rolls her eyes. Her long, white tail whips from side to side in irritation. I’m guessing I’m right; I can see where she’s focusing her gaze.

  “Are you sure that's safe, Alaric? She could be unpredictable,” Katherine states from her spot near the window. She looks like she’s ready to jump at any moment.

  Aurora growls and begins to freeze the room. Her alpha power is unleashed, driving my mother and the seamstresses to the ground. In the distance, we can hear Nicodeamus’s dragon’s roar. Aurora answers back in a mixed sound that can only be explained as a howling roar.

  Then, she approaches my mother and shifts back to her human form.

  “What do you know about the night my mother died?” I can see a fine line of scales ripple down Aurora’s spine all the way down to her tailbone. This happens several times before my mother speaks.

  “My husband knew and kept us here. He knew about the attack, and didn't let our clan attend or even think about leaving the nest.” Katherine lowers her eyes and puts her hands over her face as she begins to cry. Aurora looks back at me. I can see she’s struggling for control.

  I unbutton my dress shirt and wrap it around her. Her oppressive alpha power slowly diminishes and everyone else is able to start moving about again. Aurora looks up at me with tears in her eyes. I can't tell if they’re rage or pain tears. She slowly lowers her eyes, just staring at my chest. I gently kiss her forehead and hold her. What else could I do? I mean, the twins were right; she’s quite scary when she’s dealing with an emotion outside of rage. For all I know, she could lose her shit and take out everyone in this room in a few seconds. My mother seizes this moment to escape out of the room as quickly as possible.

  Aurora, completely uncharacteristic, speaks in a soft voice, “You know I’m going to kill him right?” She doesn’t bother to look up at me. I rest my head on top of hers and just smile.

  “Consider my father's head a wedding present.” Aurora backs up and looks at me, my shirt barely staying on her shoulders. Her smile rivals the sun. I haven’t seen her this happy since she went flying for the first time. Aurora's smile turns mischievous as she tilts her head to the left.

  "Do you really mean it, Alaric?" Her hands slide down my chest to rest on the edge of my pants. Her fingertips slowly slip under the waistband and slide back and forth, touching my lower stomach. I can feel my cock come to life, quickly becoming almost painfully hard. Her scent has changed. In the back of my mind, I know her heat recently ended, but there's always that slight chance she's still fertile.

  "Aurora, we should be careful. It's still so close to when you're heat ended." I'm trying to be responsible. I don't have condoms here, and I don't want her to regret our first time together.

  Aurora's fingers make short work of my belt, my button, and then my zipper. My trousers fall to the floor, leaving me bare for her inspection. Aurora's eyes slowly roam over every inch of my body. Her mischievous grin turns into one of appreciation. I'm now very thankful for all the extra training sessions I did every single week. Aurora shrugs my dress shirt off and tries to herd me to the desk behind me. She's got another thing coming if she thinks I'm going to allow myself to be dominated by my mate.

  When we get close to the desk, I grab her by her waist and spin her around. Aurora's palms slap down hard on the desktop. I wrap her thick, white hair around my left fist and pull back so her neck is exposed. I press my body flush with hers, and my cock rests between her plump ass cheeks. My right hand comes up to lightly grip her throat as I growl softly.

  "We do this my way, love. I can't promise to be gentle. Your scent is driving me insane."

  Through our bond she responds, Anything my love, I need to feel you! Aurora's breathless voice echoes in my head, making my cock leak with anticipation.

  I slowly move my hips back and feel my cock slide down her ass crack to her dripping folds. Once I'm lined up, I thrust into her roughly. Each stroke out is agonizingly slow, but my thrust back into her is fast and hard. Aurora's moans are music to my ears. The soaking wet slaps of flesh on flesh drives me to start fucking her harder. I tighten my grip on her throat as my thrusts start to become erratic. All of a sudden, Aurora's powerful cock-crushing orgasm rips through her. My balls begin to tighten, begging for release. A fresh gush of Aurora's cum spurts out of her pussy, drenching my cock and balls. I'm too close to my own orgasm to hold back any longer. I use Aurora's hair to move her head to the left. I roar as my orgasm rips through me, and my canines descend just before I sink them into the muscle of Aurora's shoulder. I feel my seed pulse in waves into her womb, every shockwave rippling through me. Instinctually, I know what's happening. I keep making small thrusts, milking every last drop of seed I have into her. I carefully withdraw my teeth from her flesh and lick the wounds clean. I release my grip on her throat and hair and start kissing her skin.

  "I love you so much. I hope I wasn't too rough?" Aurora lays her chest on the desk and stretches.

  "Fuck no! That was phenomenal!" She turns her head to look at me over her shoulder. I withdraw from her slowly then slide her whole body onto the desk. I crawl onto the desk beside her as she rolls onto her back. Aurora bends her knees and places her feet flat on the desk. I lightly run my fingers over her soft abdomen.

  "I have to say it's a first for me to have fucked here. I'm just glad everyone had enough sense to leave." I chuckle softly as I watch Aurora look around.

  "You know I need to return the favor." Her fingertips trace where I bit her. She raises a single eyebrow and looks at me before she covers her mouth to yawn. I carefully extract myself from the desk. Aurora looks so happy and peaceful when she sleeps. I gently scoop her in my arms and carry her to my room. Lucky for me, a maid is cleaning up in there.

  She looks up, startled by my arrival. A knowing smile graces her lips, and she turns down the bed so I can tuck Aurora in. Once she’s settled, I go and take a quick shower. Once I’m done, I leave my room and make arrangements for Aurora's dress and appropriate jewelry to be left for her to choose from. I hand pick attendants to help her dress for the wedding.

  The castle herald announces the arrival of Nicodeamus and his army. I run downstairs as fast as I can to greet everyone.

  "Welcome home, everyone!" I approach Nicodeamus first and embrace him. In a whispered tone I speak to him, "We need to talk. Gather the twins and Dimitri; we'll meet in the library." Nicodeamus nods then moves off into the crowd. I finish greeting everyone then make arrangements with the servants to get the troops fed, as well as for food and drink to be brought to the library.

  I wait for the guys to arrive in the library. My hand rests on the decanter for a moment before I lift it to pour a few glasses of well-aged bourbon. Once the guys arrive and everyone is inside, I lock the doors, pass out the drinks, and turn on some music to prevent anyone from listening in.

  "I have news," I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind
. "Apparently, my father knew about the attack and that's why there were no dragons present at the festivities. Second bit of news is Aurora and I are getting married tonight so her claim to the dragon throne is stronger." The guys start talking among themselves then Dominik speaks.

  "Aurora agreed to go along with this? She doesn't believe in putting one mate above the others." Dominik looks pissed and so does his brother. Thankfully, our angel makes her appearance.

  "You're right, Dom, no mate is above the other. The very public wedding tonight is part of a two fold plan. It appears to be a political marriage since mates don't need a wedding. Our enemies will believe I haven't gained power from him. Without a true dragon mate, they will believe me to be weak and a target. Then, I will kill them all and add their skulls to my throne." The way Aurora says it so matter-of-fact is kind of scary. I'm starting to understand why Nicodeamus said her dragon side is quite strong.

  "Daughter, what would you have me do? I'm supposed to be dead." Nicodeamus smirks then looks to me and bows his head for a second.

  "That's easy, father. You're walking me down the aisle. Let those fuckers gawk all they want. The first to raise a hand will die by my talons." The minute the word “talon” leaves her lips, she shifts both arms, displaying her weapons. I notice that her scales have changed. The ridges are more prominent and now have sharp edges. Nicodeamus is the first to take notice as he reaches for Aurora's hand.

  "What's the word? Upgrade?" He carefully twists Aurora's gauntlet in his hand, admiring the change. "I see you two had time to work on your bond." Nicodeamus smirks as Aurora looks between me and the twins then finally Dimitri. Her eyes fall to her own arms, looking at how the scales changed. Her eyes light up and churn liquid mercury, except they’re now adorned with dragonic slits. I'm guessing her vision also changed by the way she's studying things.